They Came to Cordura (1959)

An army major, himself guilty of cowardice, is asked to recommended soldiers for the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Mexican Border Incursion of 1916.

Director:

Robert Rossen

Writers:

Ivan Moffat (screenplay), Robert Rossen (screenplay),

Stars:

Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gary Cooper	...	Major Thomas Thorn
Rita Hayworth	...	Adelaide Geary
Van Heflin	...	Sgt. John Chawk
Tab Hunter	...	Lt. William Fowler
Richard Conte	...	Cpl. Milo Trubee
Michael Callan	...	Pvt. Andrew Hetherington
Dick York	...	Pvt. Renziehausen
Robert Keith	...	Colonel Rogers
Carlos Romero	...	Arreaga
Jim Bannon	...	Capt. Paltz (as James Bannon)
Edward Platt	...	Colonel DeRose
Maurice Jara	...	Mexican Federale
Sam Buffington	...	1st Correspondent
Arthur Hanson	...	2nd Correspondent

Storyline

After a cavalry charge during the 1916 U.S. "war against Pancho Villa," unheroic awards officer Tom Thorn (who is obsessed with the nature of courage) recommends 4 men for the Medal of Honor. He is ordered back to Cordura with them...and prisoner Adelaide Geary, gringo who sheltered the enemy. On the arduous journey, Thorn's heroes show a different face, and Thorn may have one last chance to prove he's no coward.

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Plot Keywords:

medal of honor | cowardice | cavalry | cavalry charge | old west | 

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Taglines:

Slashing Story of a Desert Warrior Who Fought His Way From HELL TO GLORY !

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | War | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

June 1959 (USA)

Also Known As:

Llegaron a Cordura

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Baroda Productions, Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In a 1960 interview John Wayne criticized this film and Montgomery Clift's Suddenly, Last Summer, both of which treated homosexuality (in this film because of an implied homosexual relationship between the characters played by Gary Cooper and Tab Hunter), as "poison polluting Hollywood's moral bloodstream." The latter, he said, was "too disgusting even for discussion."

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Goofs

Major Thorn improperly salutes Colonel DeRose in the opening scene when he dismissed. He should have saluted and held his salute until it was acknowledged. Instead, he lowers his arm even before Colonel Rose acknowledges it.

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Quotes

Adelaide Geary: I wouldn't give him my sweat if he was dying of thirst.

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Connections

Referenced in NCIS: Hometown Hero (2005)

User Reviews

Watchable adventure epic, not so arresting as was intended but quite professional...

Due to showing cowardice in battle, Major Thomas Thorn (Gary Cooper) has been assigned the degrading task of "Awards Officer" to the Mexican expedition of 1916 against Pancho Villa...

Thorn witnesses the U.S. Army attack on a ranch house which results in an American victory, and selects five men as candidates for the Congressional Medal of Honor...

Since Washington wants heroes in a hurry, for a World War I recruiting campaign, Thorn has to guide these men through the perilous border country to the 'out of danger' base at Cordura...

Since Villa's men were given shelter in the ranch house of the beautiful Adelaide Geary (Rita Hayworth), she is accused of treason and is forced to accompany the men on their difficult journey...

Before the seven get to the Texas border town, the five heroes are given ample time to show their true colors (cheats, thieves, rapists and murderers) and Cooper (always under great danger) discovers, far from crossfire, their true characters... Thorn also discovers that he has respect and affection for his prisoner...

Rita Hayworth seems, on screen, to be a woman who has seen too much, lived too hard… There are circles under her eyes now, and an indefinable sadness about her presence… But she remains more delicious than ever… She had been the greatest girl of them all, a living summary of all our sexy, dreamy ideals… Now she is a reminder, for an aging generation, of the generous visions of youth… In "They Came to Cordura," Rita gives the best performance of her career as the shady lady surrounded by six men, substituting acting for sex and glamor...